juan_c.

May 13, 2012

Wow, didn't realize there were that many options!! Right now, I'm leaning towards the Nikon L35AW. The Nikonos would be perfect, but probably overkill for right now (hell, I can't even swim-gonna be using a life vest to make sure I don't sleep with the fishes...). If I did more water related stuff, I'd probably get the Nikonos in a heartbeat. That EWA marine doo hickey looks very interesting, however; with the glut of SLR's I have here, it would be perfect. Thank you all so much for the suggestions!! Glad to know there are at least a lot of options in this area :o)

May 11, 2012

Hi! Going kayaking soon, and as such, I'd like to take pics of the event. Problem is, I REALLY don't want to take my SLR's/rangefinder, on the fact I might end up in the water... And as sturdy as old SLR's are compared to blows, falls and atom bomb explosions, getting them soaking wet is probably a no-no. So, I am working on the assumption that I will at least go in the water a few feet deep. I obviously checked out the Nikonos, but other than a Minolta Weathermatic 35DL, I have no clue what else is available out there for 35mm. Not sure what specs are for this type of camera, either... Any suggestions? Not mentioning a price point because, well, I have no clue what is a good price point in this area.

Thanks!

August 23, 2011

Thanks for the positive comments!

Rick: yeah, not the prettiest camera ever (I'm more partial to the X series, myself), but like a tank, it does what it is supposed to very well ;o) JDM: they seem to have lots of BBQ in Chattanooga. One good place is actually at the bottom of the mountain--like 10 minutes from Point Park is you let gravity help you on the way down. Tastes good and the smoker is intoxicating.

Michael: Minolta lenses are an addiction. Extremely good, and usually can be had for REALLY cheap. Good or bad combination, depending on who you ask, lol.

August 21, 2011

Hey! I usually post here asking for help for some assorted camera issue or another. So this time I'd post some pictures taken with my Minolta SRT-102. Though I have an X-700 (an amazing camera in its own right) and a Konica Auto S2, it is always this old SRT that I keep coming back to. Built like a tank, meters is probably the best I've used, and the lenses... Ahem. Sorry, was drooling a little there. Anyway, it is sometimes impressive to think that an "old" machine like this can keep up with much younger brethren ;o) First, the obligatory camera porn: <a title="DSC_3007 by Valkyrie_VF2X, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6082/6064000503_b63e203126_z.jpg" alt="DSC_3007" width="640" height="426" /></a> Next, a few pics taken. Since I don't have a decent scanner, I either used a D40 with a macro lens to either shoot the neg, or the print. Gotta improvise when you aren't rich... The film was Efke 25, btw.

This is at Point Park, atop Lookout Mountain. This one was shot with a Vivitar 24mm lens.

This is one of the towers they have surrounding the fort. This one with the Minolta Rokkor 135mm 2.8: <a title="DSC_3670 by Valkyrie_VF2X, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6064477526_def66f6373_z.jpg" alt="DSC_3670" width="640" height="425" /></a>

This is the entrance to the park. I think it was the 58mm lens on this one. <a title="DSC_3666 by Valkyrie_VF2X, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6064477462_f2839b0ec1_z.jpg" alt="DSC_3666" width="423" height="640" /></a>

A cannon aimed over the city. I believe the 58mm as well.

For a final shot, this is the Tennessee River, as seen from Signal Mountain. Definitely the 58mm lens here.

June 26, 2011

Hi

I bought this little beauty a while back:

Anyway, when I remember to do everything in the right sequence, I am loving it. Only problem I have with it, though, is guesstimating the distance of the subject. Things I took focused at infinity turned out great, but anything closer was very hit or miss. Usually, I am shooting on a tripod with cable release. I either use a meter to get the exposure right, or I use my DSLR for the meter. To guesstimate the distance to the subject, I set up a Minolta with a 50mm lens next to the folder, and focus with it, approximating the distance. I usually try to use f8 (to make up for focusing issues), but that isn't always possible (plus, not always fun, either, lol). Now, I have seen rangefinders you can add to a camera, but those use the hotshoe. Are there any available for this type of camera (with no hot shoe)?

Thanks!

May 29, 2011

I have a Telesar 500mm f8 lens my wife picked up at a yard sale for me for $1. Not sure what to think about it. I use it on a Nikon D40 with a Nikon t-mount. No automatic features. Focus, set the aperture, then close the blades with a 3rd ring. Never seen anything quite like it. It is all metal (at least all I can see or touch). Lots of purple fringing when used with the Nikon. Very hard to focus, especially when stopped down to your selected aperture (the AF confirm light goes haywire). It is VERY light. I have a 400mm f5.6 Unitax lens for Minolta MD that weighs FAR FAR more. I mean, this 500mm lens feels somewhat balanced on a D40...

I looked info on it, but couldn't come up with anything myself. I mean, I got it for $1, so I am not gonna complain. but it would be nice to know some of the history for it :o)

April 21, 2011

If it doesn't rain, probably my trusty SRT 102 and some Efke 25 film. Probably grab a lens at random and take off with it :o)

April 21, 2011

Hey

This is more of a curiosity thing than anything else. Why is it that Kodak cameras seem almost relegated to "junk" status, especially when compared to Japanese or German cameras? I mean, from many of the posts on here, a lot of them produce excellent results. I guess I am asking more in a marketplace kinda thing. Why are Kodaks (sometimes literally) a dime a dozen? Did they flood the market with them?

And a related question: did Kodak ever release an SLR?

April 20, 2011

It is an ok deal there. The 135 seems to go for cheap (got my copy for about $30 a year ago). The SRT 102 is one of the "pricier" ones. Mine was about $45, but in excellent condition. The 50mm 1.4 is the wildcard.... I sold one a few months ago and it went for $39. Right now on flea-bay, it seems to be going for around $50-$70 (condition dependent).

Seems like Minolta stuff is getting a bit more expensive than it used to be...

If you are wanting a cheaper body, you could try and SRT-101. Almost the same as the 102, minus the hotshoe and the split screen viewfinder. But you can find those in good shape for $20 or so.

April 18, 2011

That f1.2 lens is really good. It is reasonably sharp for such a huge hunk of glass with a large aperture. Things I have noticed from my copy:

--At 1.2/1.4, you have to get the focus spot on. The DOF is so thin that just body movement is enough to make you lose perfect focus. It does have a strange side effect: sometimes if the focus is off JUST right, it will still give a clear picture, but it will have a rather interesting "glow". Kinda reminiscent of the whole vaseline on a filter thing.

--Wide open, coma can be really harsh. found that out taking pics of fireworks...

--Starts getting really sharp around f2.8 and maxes out around f8 or so.

--As far as "bokeh", i find it to be rather nice. I mean, it is a subjective statement, but at most distances, wide open it blends the background rather smoothly.

--Mine came with the lens hood, which is a boon. It doesn't seem to handle the flare too well.

Took this pic the first day I got the lens. Was kinda drooling at the thought of f1.2, lol.

I LOVE this lens!!! I use it on my Nikon D40 as my main walkabout lens. With the crop factor, it makes for a GREAT portrait lens. I don't have a Nikon film body to use it on, though :o(

March 29, 2011

Hi!

Just got a YS mount adapter for my Minolta MD mount camera. Anyway, it is gonna be used on a Spiratone 18mm 3.5 lens that I picked up a while ago. After a good bit of research, I got the mounts switched and now it mounts and opens like it should on the camera. The only thing I don't get is the metering. Yes, I can turn the ring and select the aperture, but it does not meter. I know the mount has a contrarotating setup (it had a Nikon adapter before, and it seems to be backwards), so while I can line up the tab that would move the little lever on the camera body, turning the aperture ring is not moving the little tab on the adapter itself. Hope that makes sense. I don't know if I'm missing a lever or anything. The lens originally had a bolted on bracket for metering with the little Nikon tab/post.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

March 29, 2011

Oops, that is 0.9m or 3 ft. My bad!! Never took into account the whole parallax error with the RF. See? different way of thinking!

Dmitri: I used Kodak 200 for the film. Usually don't want to use up one of the nicer films on a test roll.

As it stands, the Konica will be my "go to camera". Gonna be the one I take everywhere. Figure I'd keep it as the color camera and the Minolta SRT-102 as the BW one. Rotate them occasionally, of course. Beautiful machines.

March 28, 2011

Hi!

I posted a few weeks ago asking for help in picking a rangefinder to cut my teeth into. I ended up going with a stupidly cheap Konica Auto S2 for sale locally. Well, after shooting through the test roll, I have to say the hype the camera got was more than worth it! The only issue was taking care of the bent filter ring. I put on an old filter on it (after bending it into a rough shape with pliers) so that I could at least easily get filters on it. When I tried to remove the filter, the whole bent ring came off. Who knew? Ok, I'm sure most of you did:o) Anyway, it gave me a chance to really clean the barrel of the lens since I could now take off the built in hood. To keep the shade in place, I put a brand new filter in place of the old filter ring. It was big enough to keep the lens hood from sliding off and lost in the river or something. Since I had no battery cover, I just borrowed one from my old SRT-101 (that still lies in pieces). The battery is a 1.5 volt alkaline that I got from Batteries Plus (only local place that carries more than 3 types of button batteries). I adjusted the ISO so that I got the right meter readings (compared it to both and Minolta XG-M and an SRT-102). Meter has been very accurate so far. Now if I could figure out how to use a polarizer on it...

My thoughts on the camera? LOVED IT!!! It has been fun getting into a totally different way of thinking. Unlike the SLR, I can always see the subject, even while I press the shutter. It is sooooooooo quiet and light. Rather stealthy. The focusing took me a little while to get used to, but now it is rather second nature. Shooting in Shutter priority has been rather interesting (I normally use either aperture priority on the SG-M or manual on the SRT).

Here are a few pics from the test roll. Apologies in advance; I have to scan the prints since my scanner is...well, crap. Seems to always crank up the brightness or contrast on all the scans :o(

First, here is the camera. It now has a brand new UV filter and a nice old leather strap I stole from an older Yashica camera (ironic....)

This location here is Point Park, up on Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN. Shot it thru the windshield in my car. Camera is so tiny I just picked it up, composed, shot, and drove off. The print itself has more detail on that wall. It wasn't blown out until it got scanned....

This here is Craven's House, also on Lookout Mountain. As you can see, the camera metered it just right :o)

One of the cannons next to Craven's house, overlooking Chattanooga down below:

This is the Chickamauga Dam in Chattanooga, next to my school. After some serious flooding, it has been dumping water for the last.... 3 weeks straight?

Birdhouse!! Bridge behind it is a local railroad bridge on the Tennessee River.

Last pic is also on the river, taken right after class. Last picture on the roll, too. Figured I'd see how the camera would do with this kind of scene.

I think the only minus to the camera is that the close focusing distance of the lens isn't really that close. On the barrel, it says 0.9 ft, which seems kinda far for a wider lens (for comparison, my 45mm f2 on my XG-M goes down to 0.6ft). Other than that, I'm loving it!!

March 8, 2011

Ok, camera porn time! I love that term!!

Only think I have found wrong with her is dented filter ring. Other than that (and a battery...), she is ready to snap up some pics!

March 8, 2011

Camera porn coming soon. Thought I'd clean her up a little ;o)

What is the Auto S2 made out of? The metal on it is like the shiniest on any camera I have seen. Makes it seem rather jewel-like...

Konica addiction? Hmmm.... AT least it is plenty cheap :o)

March 8, 2011

Wanted to thank everyone for their recommendations!!! Apparently the decision was made for me this afternoon, lol. Found a rangefinder for sale at the local antique mall for $10... Tested it with a borrowed 1.35V battery (a broken SRT 101) had it. Worked like a charm!!! Glass is scratch and fungus free. Shutter was snappy. Just need to sit down and read a manual on it.

And the lucky winner? *drumroll* It's a Konica Auto S2. Woot! Comes with the hood and everything. It is bigger than my SRT 102, but also much lighter. And wow, does it feel solid!!

Dr Path: I've been afflicted by that already, lol. Have a great Minolta system, decent Nikon one, and now going into rangefinders. Even have an old folder camera, too, lol. And develop my Tri-X/BW film. Crap, I'm screwed, aren't I? lol.

March 7, 2011

Oh god yes, meter is needed! Lol, can't believe I forgot that one... My sunny 16 ain't the greatest. As far as cheap, I'm thinking $50 or less. Will be looking into that Konica :o)

I figured I'd get a lot of responses. After reading lots of "what is the best SLR for me?" type threads, that is what I have come to expect here :o)

March 7, 2011

Hi

Not sure why, but I've been bitten by the rangefinder bug. I love my Minolta SRT-102 and my XG-M, but I had a taste for something....different. Maybe I want something I can kinda toss anywhere? Anyway, I thought I'd give a rangefinder a try. I figure asking for suggestions would be of help, since most everyone here has a HUGE amount of knowledge for vintage cameras.

This is what I want in the camera:

--normal-ish lens ranger (35-60mm)

--preferably at least f1.8 or so

--manual operation (obviously! lol)

--preferably only needs battery for the meter; not a deal breaker, but after playing with the SRT, I'm rather fond of battery-less cameras

--be able to select manual mode? Not sure if rangefinders let you select manual mode like most SLR's do

--Cheap!!!!!!!!

I've been eyeing Minolta Hi-matics, but as much as I love Minolta, I thought I'd branch out and see what else is out there. With so many manufacturers, I figured a lot of you would have experienced plenty of the models enough to make recommendations.

All help is appreciated. Thanks!!

February 14, 2011

I've found it to be a great focal length. I shoot on a Minolta SRT-102, and use the 58mm 1.4. It grew on me after a while. It has a great look for pics, and the out of focus areas seem to have a pleasing....um, shape. The 58mm I have found to be a great focal length. Still "Wide" enough for normal use, but the extra 8mm narrows it down rather well for portraits.

Plus, that lens is built like a tank. It's been dropped a few times (before I bought it!!), and it still works smoothly and takes great pics.

On my digital setup (a Nikon D40--heathen, I know, lol), I shoot with a 55mm 1.2. It comes down to an equivalent 82.5mm focal length (thank crop factor!). It takes great pics, and on DX cameras, it makes for an EXCELLENT portrait length (almost the full 85 of full frame portrait lenses). Plus, since it goes down to 1.2, it makes for some great separation of the background and the subject.

So yes, normal lenses for the win!

January 31, 2011

Kenneth: Don't know if the XD5 is made of the metalized plastic, but the newer ones seemed to be. I had an XG-9 that was broken (bought it for the bag and accessories, lol) that I took apart for curiosity. Though the silver top feels like metal, it wasn't. It was a VERY hard plastic with a layer of metal foil or skin over it. So, it may be possible that it has this kind of material on the cheaper XD5.

January 31, 2011

Wow, thanks for the great info!! Guess all that is left now is to go nuts taking pics with it :o)

Jody: thanks for the site. Kinda explains why the lens has a stop down lever. HAdn't seen those on Rokkors too often--only have it on an old 135 2.8.

Craig: Never thought of testing it that way. Nice! Will be doing that in the morning when I get some good light in the house. Want to do some serious macro shots with the Minolta :o)

January 29, 2011

Hi

I recently got an SRT 102 (LOVE IT!! Ahem.) that came with a Rokkor 50mm 3.5 macro lens. I've been wanting a Minolta macro forever now. Well, it has me a little confused as to what some of the markings on the barrel are, though. When you get into the macro range the markings on the barrel are (4 columns):

Middle left (in orange): 1:1.7 1:1.15 1:1.13 1:1.12 1:1.1 1:1

Middle right (in white): 1:10 1:5 1:4 1:3 1:2.5 1:2

Now, I'm pretty sure those are the magnification ratios for the lens, correct? The one in white is the normal magnification, while the ones in orange are with the dedicated adapter that brings it to a full 1:1. What I don't understand is that on the side of each column, are some fractions:

Far left (in orange): +1/4 +1/2 +3/4 +1

Far Right (in white) +1/4 +1/2 +3/4 +1

Are these exposure adjustments? If that is the case, why are they needed? I thought that since I'm using the lens (without the extension rings), wouldn't it meter anyway and give the correct reading? Or do things change the more magnified they get?

As far as extension rings, I use the Minolta EL rings (I think that is the name). It has 3 rings-- No 1, No 2, and No 3. They have no other names or descriptions. I'm guessing the No 1 (the thinnest) is the one that would bring the macro lens to a full 1:1? Plus, is there any way to estimate the exposure adjustments you have to make with these kinds of extension tubes?

Here is a pic of the lens, if that helps any. Many thanks!!

December 23, 2010

A got myself a Minolta SRT-102 to replace my damaged (and still in pieces) 101. It works beautifully so far, looks better, and even has the mirror lockup, to boot. Came with the 50mm macro lens, too, so I got lucky (been wanting that one forever now).

Now to take her out for a spin ;o)

December 13, 2010

Well, I took it apart since I found a piece of foam in front of the metering needle. Figured it was dead, so let's poke around. Don had it right--that balsam and paint on the prism broke off and the CDs cells detached. Cleaned out the viewfinder really well (cleaner than when I got it!). Meter still operative, however. The only issue now is the string that controls the match needle (the one with the circle), came loose, and I'm trying to put it back together. I do have my eye on an SRT 102, but i figured no harm on getting this one running again :o)

I wouldnt mind getting a new one, but getting something from ebay has its own risks, and the only local one is in far worse shape. This one I found for $20 at an antique mall, so I was able to test everything before I bought it.

And yes, the SRT 101 is just a pure delight!! I have been enjoying it more than my Nikon D40/55mm 1.2.....

December 9, 2010

Hi

I have an SRT 101 that I LOOOOOOVE!! Probably one of the best cameras I have used in forever. Anyway, a few days ago I dropped her:o( This is all the damage it suffered:

--small dent (thing is built like a tank!!); gives the camera character, lol

--bent filter on lens (58mm 1.4, my fave lens); easily replaced

--viewfinder is full of what seems like some kind of flakes (they do kinda move sometimes)

--while the camera still meters, in the Vf where you see the arrow with the selected shutter speed, you can only see the selector needle point to the speeds between 1 and 30. If you move the shutter speed knob on anything past 1/60, the needle doesn't move.

Anyway, the biggest problem to me is the junk in the viewfinder. It does make it a little hard to focus when you have some large chunks of....stuff in there. Is there any way to easily remove the viewfinder? Or at least remove the focusing screen so I can clean that out from that angle? Also, if you have any suggestions for the shutter speed thing, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks!

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Posts posted by juan_c.